New Releases for the Week of February 19th, 2012


With last week’s pre-release and first salvo of launch games making quite a splash, Sony is hoping to capture the spotlight for the second consecutive week with  another round of noteworthy Vita titles. Yet, with notable releases such as Alan Wake’s American Nightmare, Asura’s Wrath and Syndicate, the new portable faces stiff competition from a trio of console titles. Picking up a Vita this week? We’d like to hear what games you’ll be grabbing for your new system.

360
Alan Wake’s American Nightmare (XBLA, $15)
Asura’s Wrath
Heavy Fire: Afghanistan
NeverDead: Expansion Pack Volume 1 (DLC)
Outdoors Unlimited
Syndicate

PS3
Asura’s Wrath
Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers (PS2 Classic)
NeverDead: Expansion Pack Volume 1 (DLC)
Outdoors Unlimited
Syndicate

Wii
Outdoors Unlimited

3DS
Fractured Soul: Deep Void
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 3D

PSP
New Releases announced 2/21

Vita
Augmented Reality Suite: Fireworks, Cliff Diving, and Table Soccer (PSN)
Army Corps of Hell
Dynasty Warriors Next
Escape Plan (PSN)
Hustle Kings (PSN)
Ninja Gaiden Sigma Plus
Plants vs. Zombies (PSN)
Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen
Super Stardust Delta (PSN)
Super Stardust Delta: Blast Pack (PSN, DLC)
Touch My Katamari

PC
Out There Somewhere
Syndicate

DesertEagle’s Pick: For the handful of Musou-maniacs like myself, the thought of Dynasty Warriors on the go is certainly appealing, especially if it can produce more on-screen enemies than the anemic 3DS version. For those less enamored by another interpretation of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Alan Wake’s American Nightmare looks like it might satisfy my craving for nail-gun carnage.

BlueSwim’s Pick: Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater has a very distinct honor; it’s the only game I love so much that I have vowed never to replay it. With a story that gets better and more compelling as it advances and memorable, dramatic boss battles, I firmly believe that Snake Eater is an “essential read” for anyone who calls themselves gamers. If you’ve never experienced Kojima’s classic and the 3DS just so happens to be your platform of choice, pick up Snake Eater 3D without a moment’s hesitation.

Samurage’s Pick: Katamari makes me wish I had a Vita! But since I don’t, I’ve got my eye on Somewhere Out There. A Google search of this title will at first get you to the song from An American Tail, but if you specify that it’s a PC game, you’ll find a video with some interesting looking game play.  It looks like it could be really cool, or really frustrating. Either way, I’m eager. (Editor’s note: Samurage will be celebrating her birthday this week; it would be nice to read some kind words)

About Robert Allen

Since being a toddler, Robert Allen has been immersed in video games, anime, and tokusatsu. Currently, his days are spent teaching at two southern California colleges. But his evenings and weekends are filled with STGs, RPGs, and action titles and well at writing for Tech-Gaming since 2007.

40 comments

  1. I’m going to try to wait on the Vita. Maybe a price drop will happen by summer. I bought my 3DS near launch and looked what happened then.

  2. I tried the Syndicate demo out last week. It was enough to make me not want to buy the game. I figure once it gets cheap enough to be worth it, no one will be playing online anymore.

    • I didn’t think it was that bad. But I would have been better as a $15 download game than a $60 disk.

  3. I’ll be getting a Vita this week. If I can afford it, I’ll get:

    Lumines, Rayman Origins, WipeOut, and maybe Hot Shots Golf. Oh, and Super Stardust!!!

  4. I remember there was a bet on the podcast over the Asura’s Wrath metacritic score. I forgot the score and what was at stake, but I’m sure you guys know. Could you remind me?

  5. I won’t be buying a Vita until there are games that I won’t on it. Right now, I could go for some Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, but I already have that for my PS3.

  6. If I can pay off my preorder (anyone want to help a brother out with $150) I’d like to get Touch My Katamari. It’s “only” $29 and I haven’t played a Katamari game since the second one on PS2. As long as the load times aren’t too bad it sounds good to me.

  7. “We’d like to hear what game’s you’ll be grabbing for your new system.”

    grammar fail.

  8. As a big Tenchu net, I’m interested in Shinobido 2: Revenge of Zen. By the time I get a Vita, it will probably have dropped in price. No sense paying full price at launch.

    • You know that some of the people who developed this game helped make the early (good) Tenchu games, right? It should be pretty good. Reviews of the Japanese version were favorable.

  9. So is Alan Wake’s American Nightmare score based or is that a bonus mode?

  10. Actually Vita hype has been pretty nonexistent. I barely knew it came out.

  11. I’m in for Alan Wake Me Before You Gho-Ghost.

    • OMG Bad Pun Police-this one has violated decency regulations. Haha.

      I’ll be getting a wi-fi Vita, 8GB memory card, Uncharted: The Golden Abyss, Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational, Lumines Electronic Symphony, and maybe Tales of Space: Mutant Blobs.

  12. Where’s the vita section? How come every other site has one but you? Make one or I won’t come back.

  13. You really think there’s still going to be PSP games now?

  14. People still want to play a DW game? Don’t you get to the point where you say “man, I really think I played this before” unless you have Alzheimer’s.

  15. I wasn’t planning on getting a Vita (in fact the launch kind of snuck up on me) but if for some reason I make an impulse buy, I’d get Katamari for it. I had it for the PSP, but using the buttons as one of the control sticks just didn’t work for me.

  16. I liked the Asura’s Wrath demo, but I don’t see myself buying this anytime soon.

  17. Blue, I really wanted to like MGS3, but here’s the thing. It seems like you send more time micromanaging in the menus and having conversations than actually playing the game.

    Bosses were cool, but the time between them wasn’t that great.

  18. I probably won’t buy a Vita until Disgaea 3 comes out. But if I do get one early, then I’ll buy Hot Shots Golf.

  19. Happy B-Day Sage! How many candles will be on your cake? Oh wait that’s not polite to ask. Instead how will you be celebrating?

    • Happy Birthday, Samurage! Just don’t use a stylus on the cake.

      As for me, I’ll try Alan Wake. I think there’s a 60/40 change of purchase for me.

    • Thank you so much!! And WOW, those are some of the most awesome VG cakes I’ve ever seen. Super awesome…Ill have to put that on my wishlist for next year. BlueSlime–don’t know yet. Maybe the zoo, maybe some hot springs, i’ll prolly be flying solo so I want to make sure I have a fun time! Thanks again for the sweet cake pics: food and games are my favorite things so it’s always a great mix!

      And thank you to Deagle for the shoutout about my birthday, that was very sweet of you! 🙂

  20. Ok, maybe I’m not too hardcore on games, but is the Vita already out or is it coming out? I haven’t seen the game or systems in stores, which is weird. I’ve only seen a few small ads for it, too.

  21. I might have to bite on Targets buy 2 get 1 free Vita sale. Let’s hope they have Raymond Origins.

    • Don’t get your hopes up. The deal isn’t live on their site. I woke up and went to Target, the deal wasn’t in their system, they had 1 game on the shelf and all the electronic employees didn’t even know the system was out or even coming out this week.

      Great move, Sony. There’s a system launch to remember.

  22. Happy Van Damme Birthday!

  23. I will not be buying a Vita. Here’s why:

    1) Limited PSP Compatibility (WTF Sony, this should be Day One PC with every PSP game) http://www.giantbomb.com/news/initial-slate-of-vita-compatible-psp-games-revealed/3975/

    2) No PS1 compatibility. Even through early US Sony material said so according to Siliconera.

    3) No built in memory? WTF is this? Its like selling a new car with no gas in the tank.

    • Not quite sure about what this “PSP compatibility list” is besides titles which are downloadable directly from the Vita. Almost all digital PSP titles work on the system.